Pakistan’s efforts to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak may get severely constrained due to the refusal of the ulema and religious leaders to ensure that their followers abide by the rules of the lockdown and social distancing.

• Yaqoob-ul-Hassan |
• April 21, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

While scientists all over the world are working tirelessly to find an antidote to COVID-19, the narratives doing the rounds in Pakistan – pushed and peddled by the Urdu media, accuse them of conspiring to turn this virus into a weapon to not only kill but also to alter the human psyche.

• Nazir Ahmad Mir |
• April 20, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

Considering the impending financial crunch due to the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty about allocations in the coming years, it is unlikely that the MoD will be able to launch many new procurement programmes under the new DPP any time soon.

• Amit Cowshish |
• April 17, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

Draft DPP 2020 needs to cut out obfuscation, repetitions, and bring out core issues for the consideration of the decision-makers in a concise and clear manner.

• Kishore Kumar Khera |
• April 17, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

The lack of international cooperation and trust deficit to tackle the COVID-19 crisis is stark. The pandemic of fear may deepen an ongoing shift towards increased anarchy reflected in ‘everyone for himself’ and could further energise the process of weakening international institutions and agreements.

• Prakash Menon |
• April 17, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

As the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the key priorities for the GCC countries are to contain the spread of the pandemic, maintain the flow of trade across their borders and preserve their economies from adverse impacts.

• Prasanta Kumar Pradhan |
• April 16, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

China is too important for Pakistan’s power elite, given that their stakes are tied firmly to the success of Chinese-funded infrastructure projects. Similarly, China would also need dependable and loyal allies like Pakistan willing to support and disseminate the emerging Chinese narrative on COVID-19.

• Priyanka Singh |
• April 15, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

The political divisions and economic challenges facing the country have complicated the government’s response to the pandemic, putting the population at risk and threatening to undermine the popularity of President Erdogan.

• Md. Muddassir Quamar |
• April 14, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

The present crisis is as much of a challenge as an opportunity to infuse financial realism in defence planning and bring about concomitant reforms in the quickest possible timeframe.

• Amit Cowshish |
• April 13, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments

Syria’s fragile health care system on account of the continuing conflict hinders the country’s effort to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Lakshmi Priya |
• April 13, 2020 |
• IDSA Comments